


Vengeance

by Caleb_L



Category: Original Work
Genre: Country & Western, Courage, Evil, Flashbacks, Heroes to Villains, Justice, Killing, Morality, Murder, Other, Revenge, Winter
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-31
Updated: 2019-01-31
Packaged: 2019-10-20 02:08:40
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 695
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17613428
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Caleb_L/pseuds/Caleb_L
Summary: Violence is most certainly always an answer, but it ain't always the best one.





	Vengeance

Blood trickled gently down his head as he laid slumped over a rock, the snow around him crimson red. There he was, the man who ruined my life and countless others. He was the reason I became a lawman, the reason why I was alone. On one blisteringly cold night like this, I caught wind of his activities through hearsay and now I’ve been hot on his trail for a little over a year. Though, now the hunt has come to an end, for there he was and he wasn’t going anywhere. I dropped the makeshift bludgeon and drew my revolver; it felt light in my hands.

 

Just a simple shot will finish the job. I told myself.

 

“Well, one wild goose chase you’ve lead me on, that’s for sure.”

 

He wheezed, lifting his swollen head up. “Y’know I’ve always been one to put on a show.”

 

Shrugging, I gruffly responded. “Not anymore you ain’t.” I lifted the gun up to his head. “This is the end of line, old man.”

 

He said nothing in reply, just sitting there. This man was going to pay now, no doubt in my mind. The urge to kill him was uncontrollable, but something in me was holding me back; it had been hiding from my lust for vengeance, but now it saw no need to hide. Distant memories were now flooding my mind, and soon I was just a little kid again. I saw everyone: ma and pa, my sisters, my friends, and even my school yard sweetheart. Sure they were all gone, lost to this monster and his gang. But I felt their presence now and it made me uneasy. I didn’t want them to see me as a murderer. As this man.

 

I snapped out of my trance, noticing my gun was pointed at the floor. These thoughts had only crossed my mind for a few seconds, but had already overcame my vengeance. The desire for revenge still lingered, but now I knew better than to follow it anymore – this truth was enlightening. I was drawn to it. 

 

I took another gander at this man. I no longer saw the devil in him, instead I saw myself: a broken man who just lost too much and never quite put himself back together. I started to pity him, and the thought of revenge was culled. I’d won the battle, and this battle doesn’t need to end on an execution.

 

I holstered my gun, the man looked up in surprise. “No more killing.” I uttered, “I ain’t the hero I thought I was, I was a monster. Like you.”

 

The man sat there for awhile until he finally replied. “I never took you for such a coward.”

 

“That ain’t true.” I replied.

 

“Oh yeah, how?”

 

“I’d be completely justified in putting this bullet through your skull, but I now know it will not do anything. For too long I’ve been hunting you, never once did I think why I was doing this. Never once did I allow myself to think, I was always blinded by the idea of vengeance. Well, here I am now, thinking — and I think I don’t wanna be a murderer. We’re done here.” I walked away, my shoulders felt lighter than they’ve ever been.

 

The man lunged at me, I can see he wanted his revenge too, but that wasn’t going to happen. I spun around hit him in the face and knocked him out cold. I stood there for a minute looking at him, wondering why I had let my hate for him consume my life. But now it was over, I was done. Done with killing. Done with revenge. 

 

And so, something in me died, but it wasn’t a bad thing. This part of me was the reason I was broken. The path to redemption will be hard and will not always take me where I want to go. But this is my purpose now, the only way to fix myself is to help others. 

 

I had always said I was never a hero, I am not one right now either. But this world needs heroes, maybe I should start being one.


End file.
